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1111\\/' ~:I . Selenium Update . For Colorado's Lower Gunnison River Basin & Grand Valley Prepared by the National Irrigation Water Quality Program NO.6 February 2003 Greetings from the NIWQP Selenium continued to be a topic of significant public interest in western Colorado in 2002. The National Irrigation Water Quality Program (NIWQP) continued to pursue our goal of addressing the impacts of Federal irrigation projects and reducing selenium hazards for endangered fish in and adjacent to the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers. A new selenium task force was formed by the State of Colorado to address exceedences of water quality standards in the Grand Valley. The NIWQP made additional improvements at the Orchard Mesa Wildlife Area and continued planning for remediation at two other backwater sites - Colorado River Wildlife Area and at the mouth of Adobe Creek. In the Gunnison River basin, local efforts resulted in a "write-in- to the NIWQP budget to provide $750,000 for piping irrigation laterals in the Uncompahgre Valley to reduce selenium loading. In 2003, we look forward to construction at the two Grand Valley backwater sites and hopefully laying pipe near Montrose. We will continue working with the two task force groups to identify and implement reasonable measures for addressing this problem. The participants in both groups are applauded for their cooperative efforts and willingness to address the issue. Improved understandings, developed by listening to and respecting the views of all interests, has led to some extraordinary progress. Progress is not always fast, but it is steady, As a friend says, we continue to move the pile. Thank you all. W<~ NIWQP Team Leader ~ Grand Valley Selenium Task Force , I Early in 2002. the Colorado Water recognized that segment I3a (the I Quality Control Division recognized main-stem Colorado river) was a . that all of the tributaries tothc Colorado candidate for the 303d list because River within the Grand Valley (known its 5.2 ppb selenium concentration asSegmem I3b) would soon be placed in the reach from the confluence on the state's list of impaired water with the Gunnison Riverto the state bodies (303d list). This was the rea'iCln line exceeds the 4.6 ppb water for the development of the Grand quality standard. The state is Valley Selenium Task Force (GVSTF). considering placing this segnlcnt on The GVSTF brings togcther a local a Monitoring and Evaluation list group to evaluate means 10 bring these which "ill give it more attention and tributaries into compliance with the require additional data be collected selenium standard of 4.6 parts per to determine ifit should be added to billion. the 303d list. The GVSTF meets monthly with a mix i of federal and state government officials. citv and count'" , - - , administrators. water user representatives and interested citizens. The NIWQP is working with the GVSTF where ourobjectiv'esoverlap. cspt."Ciall) in areas "here endangered fish are exposed to high selenium concentrations. Recently. it "as Several questions have been raised in the group'sdiscussiol1 ",hieh may be of interest: Q . How many tributary drainages are in segmcnt I3b? A - Approximately 28. Q - Do all of the drainages exct:'Cd (Continued o~ 1X'Ke 4) ~ I